United States of America: More than two million pet dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States every year. However modern technology is giving lost pets a second chance to be safely returned to their owners.

In fact for some people, losing a pet feels even worse than losing a family member. Pet collars and ID tags are important tools in ensuring that your pets are identified and returned, but when it comes to lost dogs and cats, technology is indeed your friend. The world is truly becoming a smaller place, not only for people but for our pets.

With the latest advances in wireless technology, losing your pet maybe a thing of the past. It is safe, reliable and inexpensive, and what’s more, it'’s virtually painless for your four-legged furry friend. This new technology is actually a microchip, the size of a grain of rice, which is simply injected under your pet's’ skin. If installed properly it is a low-risk option which works for your pet's entire lifetime.

Pet microchipping is fast becoming a necessity for modern responsible pet ownership. As statistics show, the number of pets either ending up lost or stolen and in animal shelters is increasing year on year, already numbering in the millions. In fact, according to The Humane Society (HSUS), the number of cats and dogs ending up in shelters each year is estimated to be at least six to eight million animals.

From this sobering number, three to four million are adopted and only 600,000-750,000 are reclaimed by their owners. unfortunately, the remaining two and a half million pets are euthanized each year. Losing a pet may be a disheartening reality for many, but pet microchipping offers pet owners a better chance of reuniting with or rescuing their long lost pet.

A whole range of domestic pets are already being microchipped, including dogs, cats, horses, birds, goats, sheep, miniature pigs, rabbits, deer, ferrets, even reptiles and amphibians. In other words, no matter how big or small your pet is, you can safely and effectively tag it with a microchip. And since the chip is injected under the skin and not worn on a collar, there is no chance of it being removed or accidentally falling off. Aside from being a permanent ID tag, this new wireless technology is also now being used to track and monitor the location and whereabouts of endangered species such as turtles and even whales.

Before their pets are “chipped,” owners must provide their contact details and information to identify their pets, which is then stored in a database. Lost pets are identified with a handheld scanner and as soon as the stored information is recovered, these animals are reunited with their loving owners.

Lost pet numbers are increasing by the second. PetLynx, an automated pet recovery system uses its PetMeter to keep track of numbers. According to its figures, any one time more than six million pets are missing in US streets, with only 1.1 million being returned to owners. More than 2.6 million pets have been euthanized, according to PetLynx.

Now more than ever, pet owners have it in their power to protect their pets. Although microchips by themselves cannot prevent pets from running away, at least now there is a more secure way of ensuring that your pets have a better chance of finding their way back home.